Sonko sets aside Sh1b surprise for aging City Hall workers
Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has set aside a Sh1 billion to lay off 70 per cent of its aging workforce through an early retirement programme.
This is in a bid to reduce City Hall’s wage bill that rose by Sh1.05 billion in the last financial year alone.
The governor has called on any of the more than 14,000 workforce who are above 55 to voluntarily retire.
According to Mr Sonko, approximately a 1,000 workers have so far agreed to take up the offer.
“Majority of the county staff is above 55 and that is why we have set money aside to persuade them to take early retirement. We will not force anyone to retire but we want them to do so willingly,” explained Mr Sonko in a statement.
A big chunk of City Hall’s work force is aged and semi-skilled.
In 2016, the Nairobi County Assembly directed the executive to freeze new employment at City Hall to curb the huge wage bill.
A report by the Committee on Budget and Appropriation that was adopted by the assembly stated that the county needed to address the wage bill urgently and get a lasting solution.
RELATED STORY: Wage bill for City Hall staff set to increase by Sh1bn